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Old-Time Freighters a Picturesque Factor in Development of State
By W. A. Hedges
Montana and Fergus county owe not a little to the men who have been known in the past as
"freighters." Following the Indians with their travels, the first efforts to transport goods in bulk were by
early pack train, and before the heavier trains drawn by oxen, horses or mules, who made their own
roads, came the packer. Much freight was thus brought into western Montana from coast points in
Washington and further inland. The packer with his bell mule or horse and a few trained assistants,
expert in placing loads upon their backs, so that they would stay there, could cross both stream and
rough mountain trail ahead of the loaded wagon or cart. He was closely followed by the drivers soon
learned that where they had to travel long distances they must have something to show at the end of
the long journey. Hence, the long, large covered wagon in which he could transport a large load. It was
but a step to add on one or two trail wagons and string out more motive power in additional yokes of
oxen or spans of horses and mules. With cattle the freighter was less likely to be set afoot by Indians,
who had little use for cattle as long as the buffalo lasted. He could not travel as fast but could haul a
heavier load. Both classes of such drivers became experts in their lines; that is, in handling long strings of
cattle under the yoke, horses or mules strung out to six, eight, 10 or more yokes or spans. Generally he
had lots of room to utilize and manipulate his outfit, but he could on occasion, show a skill almost
unbelievable in these days of a "Iost art." The one was called a bull whacker and the other a mule or
horse skinner, both terms being quite appropriate. Each glorified in his skill and reputation when the
term was applied as a handle to real names.
Close after the western packer, the freighter came into early Montana, from Colorado and Nebraska.
With the use of the Missouri River and its steamboat possibilities, Fort Benton became an important
freight depot in the early development of placer and later quartz mining. Freight teams came, in the
early 69's from all the principal gold mining camps; from Alder Gulch, Last Chance gulch and on, to Fort
Benton as the head of navigation, until the stores brought up to that point were well distributed each
season. Then, too, as the water in the Missouri shrank in volume, freight had to be left at points lower
down that stream than Fort Benton and the names of Cow Island and Carroll were familiar to pioneer
ears. And, by the same token, roads crossed what is now Fergus County from very early dates, going out
through Judith Gap, Upper Musselshell across Smith River valley, Helena, via White's Gulch, Confederate
Gulch etc., during the early years of settlement and mining. Large transportation companies were
organized to provide numbers to make up trains of size to resist, and better overawe, Indian attack;
provide lots of motive power as occasion demanded; make roads where such were imperative, as
through timber, crossings of streams, wet periods etc. Competent men to take the responsibility of
wagon bosses of such trains received large wagons-and earned them. We use their routes of travel
today with little thought of the men who originated them.
Thus the freighter and his road played a conspicuous part in the history of the Judith Basin and Fergus
County. "Arrow Creek Hill" and "Claggett Hill" mean little to us now in these days of the auto and graded
roads. To the early pioneer and Diamond Rmeant that a road had been opened up to advancing
civilization and that settlers were invited to the Judith Country.
William Berkin of Butte, 102 years of age, father of Tom Berkin, long a deputy game warden in this
district and now of the Flatwillow country, was one of the earliest trail blazers in this section of
Montana. He pulled out one of the earliest trains of freight from Fort Benton to Virginia City. He laid out
the first roads from the lower camps of belated steamboat freight from the mouth of the Musselshell
across Flatwillow creek, on the south side of the Snowies and Belts to the forks of the Musselshell, at
Martinsdale, across Smith River valley and on, filing a map of the country at old Diamond City in 1866,
before Meagher County received that name.

Old-Time Freighters a Picturesque Factor in Development of State
By W. A. Hedges
Montana and Fergus county owe not a little to the men who have been known in the past as “freighters.” Following the Indians with their travels, the first efforts to transport goods in bulk were by early pack train, and before the heavier trains drawn by oxen, horses or mules, who made their own roads, came the packer. Much freight was thus brought into western Montana from coast points in Washington and further inland. The packer with his bell mule or horse and a few trained assistants, expert in placing loads upon their backs, so that they would stay there, could cross both stream and rough mountain trail ahead of the loaded wagon or cart. He was closely followed by the drivers soon learned that where they had to travel long distances they must have something to show at the end of the long journey. Hence, the long, large covered wagon in which he could transport a large load. It was but a step to add on one or two trail wagons and string out more motive power in additional yokes of oxen or spans of horses and mules. With cattle the freighter was less likely to be set afoot by Indians, who had little use for cattle as long as the buffalo lasted. He could not travel as fast but could haul a heavier load. Both classes of such drivers became experts in their lines; that is, in handling long strings of cattle under the yoke, horses or mules strung out to six, eight, 10 or more yokes or spans. Generally he had lots of room to utilize and manipulate his outfit, but he could on occasion, show a skill almost unbelievable in these days of a “lost art.” The one was called a bull whacker and the other a mule or horse skinner, both terms being quite appropriate. Each glorified in his skill and reputation when the term was applied as a handle to real names.
Close after the western packer, the freighter came into early Montana, from Colorado and Nebraska. With the use of the Missouri River and its steamboat possibilities, Fort Benton became an important freight depot in the early development of placer and later quartz mining. Freight teams came, in the early 69’s from all the principal gold mining camps; from Alder Gulch, Last Chance gulch and on, to Fort Benton as the head of navigation, until the stores brought up to that point were well distributed each season. Then, too, as the water in the Missouri shrank in volume, freight had to be left at points lower down that stream than Fort Benton and the names of Cow Island and Carroll were familiar to pioneer ears. And, by the same token, roads crossed what is now Fergus County from very early dates, going out through Judith Gap, Upper Musselshell across Smith River valley, Helena, via White’s Gulch, Confederate Gulch etc., during the early years of settlement and mining. Large transportation companies were organized to provide numbers to make up trains of size to resist, and better overawe, Indian attack; provide lots of motive power as occasion demanded; make roads where such were imperative, as through timber, crossings of streams, wet periods etc. Competent men to take the responsibility of wagon bosses of such trains received large wagons—and earned them. We use their routes of travel today with little thought of the men who originated them.
Thus the freighter and his road played a conspicuous part in the history of the Judith Basin and Fergus County. “Arrow Creek Hill” and “Claggett Hill” mean little to us now in these days of the auto and graded roads. To the early pioneer and Diamond R meant that a road had been opened up to advancing civilization and that settlers were invited to the Judith Country.
William Berkin of Butte, 102 years of age, father of Tom Berkin, long a deputy game warden in this district and now of the Flatwillow country, was one of the earliest trail blazers in this section of Montana. He pulled out one of the earliest trains of freight from Fort Benton to Virginia City. He laid out the first roads from the lower camps of belated steamboat freight from the mouth of the Musselshell across Flatwillow creek, on the south side of the Snowies and Belts to the forks of the Musselshell, at Martinsdale, across Smith River valley and on, filing a map of the country at old Diamond City in 1866, before Meagher County received that name.
He had a battle with the Indians at Flatwillow Crossing and another at Hopley’s Hole, west of the original Oka, but his outfit was in sufficient force to save its stock and take care of itself against the reds. His outfit gave the names of Swimming Woman and Careless creek to streams south of the Snowies.
The roads across southeastern Judith Basin, crossing Spring Creek about where the county poor farm is located was a later cutoff, when the original Berkin route was abandoned as a freight road by the later Diamond R and C. A. Broadwater outfits. In their day these outfits had a score or two of men, with cattle and horses running into the hundreds. They had to take care of themselves and they always made a good job of it. It was a great day when they reached such places as Helena and Virginia City. In their day, William Berkin, Sam Peppin, Tom Vlary, Seibens, Jim Perkins, W. C. Sweet, Robert Coburn, and the others were big men and later became large cattle owners. Men like Paul McCormick and Matt Carroll were big figures in the transportation problem of their day and also in the campaigns against the Indians.
In our immediate locality, near this secondary base for river transportation, we have been long on the map for freight movements by teams. When Fort Maginnis was established its supplies and equipment came up the Missouri River from lower government posts and was transported mostly by government teams to the site, a few miles east of Gilt Edge. The remains of the old post are still plainly visible, marking a site conspicuous and dear to old Fergus County residents. With abandonment of river transportation, much of the local freight came from Junction of the Yellowstone from Billings, Great Falls and Fort Benton. These points were distributing depots for our wool when Fergus was the largest sheep growing county in Montana so that freighting by team was an important factor in our economic system until the railroad came into our midst. It is a fact that half breeds did a small amount of the freighting of the Judith Basin country. The business of moving wool was done mainly by the old and reliable outfits in the hands of experienced men. The Power Mercantile Company and other likewise depended on such outfits and demanded the best to be had. Press Lewis was noted as a wagon boss in these days, as well as being a skilled bull whacker. Others were Jack Arnold, Perry Moran, Charley (Big Foot) Struman, Al Hutching, (Old Dutch) Jim Atkinson, (Buckskin Jim), and Johnny Mathewson, who was the last of the old guard to quit with the coming in of the iron horse and the gas wagon. Bull Whackers Phipps or Johnson or any of the others of the band, with bull whip or jerk line could handle eight to 12 yoke of oxen or span of horses of mules in a way to open the eyes of the modern boys and put to shame many so called drivers of four horses to say nothing of the drivers of the “skunk wagons” who have difficulty in missing telephone poles or lady pedestrians: These men bore an humble part in the economic structure of their day, generally traveled on the long drives in groups for mutual company and assistance, had their own hotel and kitchen accommodations and did their work uncomplainingly in all conditions of weather and roads.
Their pride was in the looks, the condition, the ease and spontaneous action of their string of oxen or horses as one trained unit. The teams knew their drivers and the drivers knew their teams and knew just how many pounds or tons they could handle successfully.

Old-Time Freighters a Picturesque Factor in Development of State
By W. A. Hedges
Montana and Fergus county owe not a little to the men who have been known in the past as
"freighters." Following the Indians with their travels, the first efforts to transport goods in bulk were by
early pack train, and before the heavier trains drawn by oxen, horses or mules, who made their own
roads, came the packer. Much freight was thus brought into western Montana from coast points in
Washington and further inland. The packer with his bell mule or horse and a few trained assistants,
expert in placing loads upon their backs, so that they would stay there, could cross both stream and
rough mountain trail ahead of the loaded wagon or cart. He was closely followed by the drivers soon
learned that where they had to travel long distances they must have something to show at the end of
the long journey. Hence, the long, large covered wagon in which he could transport a large load. It was
but a step to add on one or two trail wagons and string out more motive power in additional yokes of
oxen or spans of horses and mules. With cattle the freighter was less likely to be set afoot by Indians,
who had little use for cattle as long as the buffalo lasted. He could not travel as fast but could haul a
heavier load. Both classes of such drivers became experts in their lines; that is, in handling long strings of
cattle under the yoke, horses or mules strung out to six, eight, 10 or more yokes or spans. Generally he
had lots of room to utilize and manipulate his outfit, but he could on occasion, show a skill almost
unbelievable in these days of a "Iost art." The one was called a bull whacker and the other a mule or
horse skinner, both terms being quite appropriate. Each glorified in his skill and reputation when the
term was applied as a handle to real names.
Close after the western packer, the freighter came into early Montana, from Colorado and Nebraska.
With the use of the Missouri River and its steamboat possibilities, Fort Benton became an important
freight depot in the early development of placer and later quartz mining. Freight teams came, in the
early 69's from all the principal gold mining camps; from Alder Gulch, Last Chance gulch and on, to Fort
Benton as the head of navigation, until the stores brought up to that point were well distributed each
season. Then, too, as the water in the Missouri shrank in volume, freight had to be left at points lower
down that stream than Fort Benton and the names of Cow Island and Carroll were familiar to pioneer
ears. And, by the same token, roads crossed what is now Fergus County from very early dates, going out
through Judith Gap, Upper Musselshell across Smith River valley, Helena, via White's Gulch, Confederate
Gulch etc., during the early years of settlement and mining. Large transportation companies were
organized to provide numbers to make up trains of size to resist, and better overawe, Indian attack;
provide lots of motive power as occasion demanded; make roads where such were imperative, as
through timber, crossings of streams, wet periods etc. Competent men to take the responsibility of
wagon bosses of such trains received large wagons-and earned them. We use their routes of travel
today with little thought of the men who originated them.
Thus the freighter and his road played a conspicuous part in the history of the Judith Basin and Fergus
County. "Arrow Creek Hill" and "Claggett Hill" mean little to us now in these days of the auto and graded
roads. To the early pioneer and Diamond Rmeant that a road had been opened up to advancing
civilization and that settlers were invited to the Judith Country.
William Berkin of Butte, 102 years of age, father of Tom Berkin, long a deputy game warden in this
district and now of the Flatwillow country, was one of the earliest trail blazers in this section of
Montana. He pulled out one of the earliest trains of freight from Fort Benton to Virginia City. He laid out
the first roads from the lower camps of belated steamboat freight from the mouth of the Musselshell
across Flatwillow creek, on the south side of the Snowies and Belts to the forks of the Musselshell, at
Martinsdale, across Smith River valley and on, filing a map of the country at old Diamond City in 1866,
before Meagher County received that name.